The cycling events at the Paris Olympics begin this Saturday with the individual time trials, and as always, when the stakes are high, the tech gains come to the fore.
Earlier this week, riders set out on their recons of the 32.4km city-centre course, all under the watchful eye of photographers. Here at Cycling Weekly, we've scrutinised the images to pick out some tech insights we might see during the race.
From a rare front disc wheel, to brand-new paint jobs, here's a taster of what to look out for.
Wout van Aert's front disc
Wout van Aert made headlines yesterday when he took to the time trial course running a dual disc wheel set-up. Despite offering a smoother air flow in still conditions, front discs can be notoriously difficult to control in crosswinds, and are for that reason very rarely used on the road.
Speaking to Sporza, Van Aert explained that he isn't certain to use the disc wheel.
"It's definitely an option," he said. "We've been preparing for this for a while. It's super fast, but the right conditions are needed.
"We'll decide on Saturday. It mainly depends on the wind, because you have to be able to keep your bike under control," the Belgian added. "I was happy when I saw the course, because there is a lot of shelter, so it could be an option, even though it looks unusual."
Josh Tarling, Team GB's medal hope for the event, was unconvinced by the choice when asked about it in his press conference on Thursday. "It's clever if he thinks there's a gain in it. If he's tested it, then go for it," the Brit said.
"I know the first and last five kilometres are bumpy, and so harsh on a disc wheel. I've never ridden one outside but I'm sure the corners won't be amazing on it either. Because the corners are fast, you need to really make the most out of them."
Pinarello's new Bolide F TT
There's going to be a new incarnation of Pinarello's Bolide F TT bike in Paris, used by riders such as Magnus Sheffield, Filippo Ganna, and Tarling.
The bike, unveiled by the Italian manufacturer last week, claims to have a 2.28% CdA reduction compared to its previous design, meaning aerodynamic drag is lower - albeit by a slim margin.
Part of the way the brand has achieved this, it says, is through its 'AeroNodes' – the small ridges that go down the seat tube – that are borrowed from its track bike, the Bolide F HR. These AeroNodes are said to "reduce the complex vortexes generated by riders' leg movements" and are inspired by the tubercules on the flippers of humpback wales.
Stefan Küng's Willier Supersonica
Like the new Pinarello Bolide F TT, Willier's recently released Supersonica SLR promises significant aero improvements - 16% more than its previous model, according to the brand.
Developed in just nine months, the bike was released in June this year with a hefty price tag starting at €20,5000 (£17,280). It was ridden by Groupama-FDJ's Stefan Küng at the Tour de France, and the Swiss rider was spotted using it again in his recons of the Olympic course in Paris.
One of the bike's more unique elements is its integrated bottle cage, which requires a special, rectangular bottle, and is typically seen in triathlon. It's all part of making the machine a fast, cohesive unit, with as little airflow disruption as possible.
Team GB's special skinsuits
Brought to our attention by Cyclingspy on Instagram, the material on the Team GB skinsuits is worthy of closer inspection.
As shown in the picture above, Tarling's forearms appear to be wrapped in a shiny, smooth fabric. This material could be latex or silicone, and despite being branded as Adidas, may have been made by another manufacturer, such as bespoke brand Vorteq, who are known to be working with the Team GB track team at the Games.
The desired effect of the material, ultimately, is to go faster. Track sprinter Jeffrey Hoogland used similar fabrics, inspired by speedskating suits, during his kilometre time trial world record in a bid to reduce drag at higher speeds.
The GB skinsuits, likewise, seek to control airflow with a waved texture on the upper arm, likely achieved by layering two fabrics.
Specialized's Paris paint jobs
Specialized may not have given their riders new models for the Olympic time trials, but the American brand has provided fresh paintwork. Those using S-Works Shiv TT bikes, such as Demi Vollering and Remco Evenepoel, will race with special paint jobs that have a nod to sustainability.
The design comes as Specialized celebrates its 50th anniversary, and symbolises the brand's mission to strive for a better planet.
Vollering shared close-up pictures on her Instagram, revealing the phrase "pedal the planet forward" printed on her bike's top tube.
For more information about the Paris Olympic Games time trials, visit our detailed hub page, which provides everything you need to know to follow the action.
